Injury forces Dereck Chisora to pull out of showdown with Tyson Fury

12:02 22 July 2014

Dereck Chisora (right) has been forced to pull out of his fight with Tyson Fury due to injury

PA Wire/Press Association Images

Hampstead’s Dereck Chisora has been forced to withdraw from his showdown with Tyson Fury this Saturday at the Phones 4 U Arena in Manchester after suffering a fractured left hand in his last sparring session leading up to the fight.

Chisora’s fight against Fury was a European heavyweight title defence, with the vacant British title also on the line plus an eliminator for the WBO World title.

The pair went head to head at Wembley Arena in July 2011, with Fury triumphing on points to become the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion.

They were just days away from an eagerly-anticipated rematch in Fury’s home city of Manchester, but that will now have to be reschuled, with a new date expected to be announced soon.

Chisora, who lives in Hampstead Garden Suburb, said: “I can’t tell you how disappointed I am to have to pull out of the fight against Fury, but it is on the advice of my specialist that I have to do this.

“I’m sorry for the fans who will miss this great fight between me and Tyson this Saturday, but once my hand is healed and I’m given the all-clear to train and punch again, I’ll be working on the new date for the fight.

“I was in fantastic shape and had a great training camp – probably the best so far in my career – and was looking forward to getting revenge on Fury, but that will have wait.

“I’m sorry to have to pull out on Fury, as I know that he had been training hard and it was going to be a great fight between two top athletes, and I hope we can get it on again soon.”

Promoter Frank Warren said: “Everybody involved in the fight worked hard to get it on and for this to happen on the final week is a big disappointment to everyone.

“There’s no way that Dereck could fight with his hand fractured and there’s no way I would let him get into the ring and fight with an injury like that.

“Obviously you’ve got to feel for Tyson, who, through no fault of his own, has been hit hard by this postponement after all the training he has put in.

“It’s a big heavyweight fight with a lot at stake for both fighters and we’re working hard to get a new date confirmed.”

Head coach Peter Breen says Hampstead have been driven on to improve by Belsize Park’s progress, and he believes a new local rivalry will help to get the best out of his side as the two clubs prepare to meet in Saturday’s derby clash.

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